Jewel of the Gods
by Destiny's Hand
Summary: When a strangely-clad woman emerges from Blackveil Forest, Garth is convinced by her actions that she's a Rider. He takes her under his wing and teaches her the way of Sacoridia. But does her dark past hold the key to Sacoridia's triumph or demise? HIATUS
1. Out of Blackveil Forest

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Green Rider books or anything contained within them. In this case, I only own the OC.

**Author's Note:** Since I've taken down my Avatar fic for revision, I've decided to put this one up. It's a bit risky, since I've only written two chapters so far. Thus, updates may be a bit long in coming between chapters. Still, please don't turn away because of that! Please! This idea came to me over the summer. I forget what sparked it, but I liked the idea. It's actually a cross-over with an anime, but I'm not going to tell you which, for it might ruin later surprises. You'll get major hints along the way, so those who watch the anime will know what it is. I'll tell you now: You might think that it doesn't fit at first, but when the "secret" is revealed, I'll be sure to explain the how's of the situation. Also, I don't believe Garth's "Rider talent" is specified in the books, so I'll be giving him one later on. If anyone knows/is able to find out what it is, please tell me. I try to make my fics as accurate as possible considering major points (and some minor ones too).

**Spoiler Warning!!** This takes place right after _High King's Tomb_.

* * *

**Out of Blackveil Forest**

The sun rose over the choppy sea, painting the water bloody red and sending nervous murmurs through Grandmother's retainers. The old woman made no move to calm them. Their fear would keep them close to her, protected from the beasts of Blackveil. When she rose from her seat on a broad black stone, her granddaughter Lala followed suit, shuffling beside her as she led the small expedition on down the beaten road that paralleled the ocean.

"Grandmother!" one of her retainers gasped after a few minutes. "What is that?"

The man pointed at a dull object grounded on the shore. Its shape mimicked that of a boat, though its angles were sharper and it was made of metal with no mast to speak of. Grandmother approached the object, seemingly without fear. In truth, her heart pounded in her chest. This object did not belong. It was newly beached, for the sand around it had not quite settled back to its proper place. Boot prints, half refilled with gritty black sand, led from the side of the boat off into Blackveil.

"What is it, Grandmother?" another of the retainers asked in a hushed whisper.

Grandmother scowled. She would not admit that she did not know. Instead she straightened her back from inspecting the footprints. "It doesn't belong here," she replied, "but it is none of our concern. The Sleepers will deal with it when they awaken." The old woman followed the shallow prints with her eyes as they vanished into the woods, adding mentally, _If Blackveil doesn't deal with it first._

--

Alton D'yer strode slowly through the morning light, nervously turning the letter in his hands over and over. It had taken several drafts before he finally was able to write what he wanted to say to Karigan, but now he second-guessed himself. Would she accept his apology? Was their friendship ruined for good? Before he could give in to his worries and tear up the letter to start again, a strong hand snatched it from his grasp.

"I'll take that, thank you," Garth said with a grin. "Is there anything else you want to add to your report?"

Alton's eyes followed the letter as Garth tucked it into his breast pocket. Once it was out of sight, he focused on his fellow Green Rider. "Er, no."

The large man before him nodded. "Alright. If that's it, then I'll –"

Before he could finish his sentence, shouts of alarm and warning sounded from the area around the breach. The two Riders exchanged startled looks before running toward the commotion.

"Lord D'yer!" a soldier called as the two approached. "There's something moving in the forest. Coming this way!"

Garth drew his sword as Alton bit his lip. "Can you tell what it is?" the D'yer asked.

"It appears to be human, Sir, but we can't be certain. It could be a trick of the light."

"Or it could be Mornhavon the Black," Garth growled.

Someone up on the wall shouted, "There it is! Ready!"

Bow strings were pulled taught. Alton slid his own saber from its sheath, stepping so that he could get a good look through the breach. It took him a moment to make out the shadow moving within shadows, a hunched figure wrapped in a tattered cloak. Icy winter wind cut through the air, forcing the figure to pause and raise an arm to protect its head against the onslaught.

The wind tore off the cloak's hood, revealing golden blonde hair half-fallen from what might have once been a tight bun. The figure lifted its head, fiercely green eyes gazing forward to the breach in the D'yer Wall. The arm lowered and Alton heard a nearby soldier gasp sharply.

"It's just a girl," the man stated with an amazed tone, the point of his arrow beginning to drop.

"Stay on guard," Alton replied, tightening his grip on his sword. "Appearances can be greatly deceiving."

On the wall above them, archers trained their arrows on the young woman. Her eyes flicked from one sharp point to the next with a distant expression. She seemed almost at peace, somehow, as if she welcomed an arrow to the heart. The girl closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath. When she opened them, she stepped forward.

Alton held out a hand. "Stop! Come no closer!" The girl hesitated for a moment, mid-step, but continued on. Alton gritted his teeth. "Halt!" The tension in the air was nearly tangible.

"Come one, kid. Listen to him," Garth murmured, slightly startling Alton. "Do as he says."

Alton glanced at his fellow Rider, who stared at the girl as if he could make her listen and halt by will alone. Something in his gaze puzzled Alton, who asked, "What's wrong?"

"You don't feel that?" Garth breathed. "You don't hear that?"

Rider D'yer returned his attention to the young woman – still approaching – and listened. After a moment, he _did _hear something – a sound he had previously mistaken for his heartbeat. It became suddenly more pronounced with each step the girl took until Alton could clearly recognize it. Hoof beats. The sound of galloping horses underlain with the distant call of a horn.

As the disembodied sound rose to a crescendo, the girl suddenly halted and whirled, looking wildly around herself as if searching desperately for something. Alton's mouth became dry. "She can hear it too. But how? Why? This has never happened before."

Garth dropped his sword arm to his side, lifting his other hand to touch the winged horse brooch over his heart. "I don't know. All I know is that she's a Rider. I don't know how I know – I just do." He stepped toward the breach, saber ready just in case he was somehow mistaken. The sound of hoof beats throbbed in his head. "Who are you?" he called.

The young woman's head snapped around, wild green eyes focusing on him. He could see pain behind those emerald orbs – pain and fear and confusion. She spoke softly in a strange tongue, her tone almost pleading. The girl lifted her hands to her ears, closing her eyes and repeating the phrase in a strangled voice.

Before Garth could take a step closer, someone cried a warning from above. "Groundmites!"

Six of the beasts burst from the black forest behind the young woman. She gasped and turned, eyes wide as they took in the spiked mace descending upon her head. With startling reflexes, the girl ducked and rolled to one side, leaving the deadly weapon to slam into the ground where she had been standing but seconds before. The young woman scrambled to her feet, running headlong toward the breach in the wall as arrows hissed through the air around her.

As the girl clambered over the chunks of fallen wall, a bolt whizzed from a groundmite crossbow and imbedded itself in her left leg. She cried out in pain and fell, causing Garth's heart to miss a beat. The sound of hooves in his ears became nearly deafening as he rushed forward. A groundmite, however, got to her first, descending upon the girl with a jagged sword in hand.

Garth screamed a futile warning as the girl rolled to her back and lifted her arms defensively. Something bright shone momentarily in one of her hands before her frail form was lost beneath that of the groundmite.

Silence claimed the area around the breach, and Garth realized that the other groundmites were dead, impaled by well-aimed arrows before they could cross the wall. He stumbled to a halt, staring at the still form of the last groundmite. Was it dead? Was the girl dead?

The beast shifted and rolled – but not of its own power. Coughing, the girl dragged herself from beneath it, using a chunk of wall to heave herself to a half-standing position. Face twisted in pain, horror, and disgust, she tugged a knife from the groundmite's heart, holding it loosely in one hand as she limped the rest of the way across the gap in the wall.

Garth met her, waving back sword-wielding soldiers. "Are you alright, Rider?" he asked, reaching out to help her. He startled himself with the last word, but somehow it felt right.

The girl stared at him for a moment and then at the brooch pinned to his greatcoat. She mumbled something unintelligible; then her legs buckled and collapsed. Reacting quickly, Garth caught her in his thick arms before she hit the ground. As soon as she was in his grasp, the hoof beats cut off. The young woman blinked up at him several times before sighing and losing consciousness, a faint smile of relief on her lips.

Alton approached cautiously. "Garth?"

The large Rider could not tear his gaze from the young woman in his arms. Now that he was seeing her close up, his stomach twisted into knots. Deep circles rimmed her eyes and her pale skin – where it was visible beneath all the dirt – seemed rather sickly. There was no doubt that this young woman had not slept in a long while, and her diet did not seem to be much better, judging by how light and frail she felt in his arms. Her clothing beneath the cloak might have been blue at one time, but it was frayed and faded, hanging loosely over her skeletal frame.

After another prompting from his fellow Rider, Garth finally looked up. "She's one of us," he stated softly. "She reacted to the hoof beats – when they started and when they stopped. I don't know who she is or where she came from, but . . ." His voice trailed off and he rose, lifting her easily in his arms. "She needs medical attention. She's wounded, and it looks to me like she's malnourished as well."

"Garth, are you sure about this?" Alton asked as he trailed behind the giant of a man. "We don't know for certain that –"

"Then I'll take full responsibility if anything goes wrong," Garth interrupted him. "I know it's strange, Alton, but I just have this feeling. She's a Rider. We have to help her."

Alton grunted, not understanding his friend's seeming lapse in judgment. "What about your mission?"

Garth puzzled over this for a moment before grinning – though it was half a wince. "Winter's close. Travel can be difficult and slow. I can spare a day or two. When I leave, I'll take her to Sacor City with me. Captain Mapstone will know what to do."

"And what if she's not a Rider?" Alton asked softly. "You could be bringing the enemy right within reach of the king."

Garth looked down at the unconscious woman in his arms. "Yeah," he said softly. "I know."


	2. Greeneyed Stranger

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Green Rider books or anything contained within them. In this case, I only own the OC.

**Author's Note: **Alright. You get a major hint as to the anime in this chapter. I probably shouldn't tell you that, since knowing the anime might _possibly_ ruin a later surprise, but I think it'll be fine. If this were a movie/anime, the sight of the hint would give it away even more so than written words describing it, so it should be fine. This is actually rather quick between chapters. A word of kind advice: I'll post as soon as I've written the chapter, so please don't get impatient if it's longer between chapters. Such is the risk of "live reading," so to speak.

**To FondyCheesehead:** Thanks! I agree. Garth seems to get pushed off to the side a lot. He's such a great guy, but not a lot is known about him. So, here's to Garth!

* * *

**Green-eyed Stranger**

Garth sat with his elbow on the stone table, peering at the silvery object that dangled from a chain looped on his finger. He studied the carving on its surface, unable to decide if the creature depicted within geometric loops was a dragon or a horned lion. Sighing, he placed it on the table and slid it to Merdigen.

"Have you ever seen anything like it?" he asked of the magical projection.

Merdigen puzzled over the object for a long moment before finally admitting, "No."

Dale turned over the knife she was examining – the knife the girl had used to kill the groundmite. "There's an odd symbol on the blade too – a circle with a lot of weird lines through it. They could just be decoration, though. I don't see any meaning." She bobbed the knife in her hands. "This thing is surprisingly heavy for its size."

Lifting his eyes from the thick disk, Merdigen asked, "These were her only possessions?"

Garth nodded. "Other than the clothes on her back, yes. She carried no money, no provisions, nothing but the knife and whatever _that_ is." He motioned to the object on the table.

Cocking her head to one side, Dale put the knife down and reached for the item in question. "May I?" she asked of Merdigen. When the projection nodded, she picked up the object to study it herself. "There's a clasp on the side," she stated. "Maybe it holds something."

"I tried already," Garth said. "It must be stuck. I can't pull it open."

Dale sent him an amused look. "Maybe you're not supposed to pull." She pressed the small square and the top of the object popped open. "Men rely too much on brute strength."

Rider Littlepage peered into the object. The right side held three small lines over a white field. As she watched, one of them – the longest and thinnest – moved slowly around the circle in tiny jerking movements. Twelve small markings ringed the outside.

Garth leaned toward her. "What is it?"

She shook her head. "I have no idea. I've never seen anything like it before." Dale glanced at the other side of the open disk. "Look at this. Something's written here."

The Rider handed the object to Garth, who studied it for a moment before shaking his head and tilting it so that Merdigen could see. The projection cocked his head, rubbing his long white beard.

"Hmm," he intoned. "I don't recognize it, but it's definitely more than some mere design. It appears to be writing of some sort – a single word, I'd bet. Still, it's not a language I know."

Dale shrugged. "Well, we can ask her what it says when she wakes up."

"There's one problem with that," Garth sighed. "She doesn't speak the common tongue."

Alton D'yer strode into the holographic field. He glanced down momentarily at the objects on the table before turning his scowl to Garth. "The woman's awake," he stated. "Since she's _your_ responsibility, I thought you ought to know."

"Thanks," Garth grunted at Alton, rising and reaching to scoop up the knife and as-of-yet undetermined object.

Alton held out a hand. "Leave them," he ordered sternly.

--

A mender stood outside the tent that housed the young woman, rubbing her temples. Garth approached slowly. "Is something the matter?"

The woman looked up and sighed, shaking her head hopelessly. "It's like she's afraid of us. She won't let anyone touch her and she won't eat or drink anything. At this rate, no matter how much we might want to keep her alive, she'll die."

Garth scowled as he stepped past the mender. "I'll see what I can do."

The large Rider stood in the threshold for a moment as his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the tent. He scanned the small living space for any sign of its current inhabitant. When he located her, his heart sank slightly. The woman was huddled in the middle of the cot, arms pulling her knees tightly to her chest. Her whole body quivered, but was she cold or afraid – or both?

Garth picked up a blanket off a nearby stool and stepped toward the woman. She did not seem to notice him, staring distantly down at the dusty floor. However, when Garth allowed the blanket to fall open, the woman stiffened and shrank away from him.

"It's alright," Garth said soothingly. "I'm not going to hurt you. Are you cold?"

She stared at him with wide eyes, and Garth was struck by how _green_ they were. He smiled encouragingly as she studied his face. Tentatively, she reached out and accepted the blanket, wrapping it around her shimmering frame. Despite this acceptance of aid, she still eyed him cautiously.

Garth pulled the stool over and sat down. He placed a hand against his chest. "I'm Garth," he stated. She blinked and he repeated his name, supporting it with a pat. "Garth."

The woman's eyes flicked momentarily to Garth's brooch, but she made no reply. Garth sighed. "You don't understand a word I'm saying, do you? Of course not. You don't speak our language. Still, there should be some universal things that you understand, right? Like this."

He rose, noting that she stiffened when he moved, and stepped over to where a steaming bowl of soup waited to be eaten. Garth picked up the bowl and returned to his seat in front of the woman. He held it out to her.

"It's food. Eat. You need your strength."

The woman stared at the bowl with an odd expression – one that mixed fear and disgust with a hint of longing. She wanted to eat, Garth surmised, but she was afraid for some reason. He smiled warmly at her.

"If you think we're trying to poison you, then don't. We have no reason to. You're not our enemy – I don't think. We're friends." He held the bowl closer to her. "Go on. Take it. Eat."

When she made no move to take it, Garth sighed again and leaned forward, placing the bowl on the hard cot next to her. "Fine. You'll want it eventually, though. So, here it is. When you're hungry, eat up. Okay?"

The woman spared no glance for the bowl. Instead, she stared absently at the brooch over Garth's heart, almost as if she were drawn to it. She murmured something softly in an unfamiliar tongue before glancing back up to meet Garth's curious gaze. She flinched and looked away, a mirage of emotions flickering through her fierce eyes yet not touching the rest of her face.

An idea – a revelation – caught Garth's heart. "What do you see in this?" he asked almost eagerly, motioning to the winged horse. Then he remembered. She did not speak the common tongue.

He cursed softly under his breath, eyes casting about for something he could use to communicate with the woman. She watched him with a slightly startled expression as he rose and exited the tent in a rush. "Be right back," he told the soldier posted at the tent opening.

Garth returned moments later with paper and writing utensils in hand. He dragged a small table over to the cot and deposited the items there. The woman peered at him with veiled curiosity. Using motions to accompany his words in a hope that he could be understood, Garth explained what he wanted her to do.

"Draw what you see – what form the brooch takes for you."

For several minutes, the woman did nothing. Garth's heart sank and he began to wonder if there was any hope of communication with her. Then, an arm emerged from the folds of her blanket. She hesitantly reached for the quill set out for her. Her hesitation, though, was not due to fear or misunderstanding. It appeared as though she was unsure how exactly to hold the quill.

After inspecting the tip and adjusting her hold, the woman dipped the quill into the small vial of ink and began to sketch out a shape on the paper. Garth's breath caught in his throat when the shape took a recognizable one. After a few minutes, the woman replaced the quill and retracted her arm back into the blanket, a look of satisfaction on her face.

Then she seemed to remember Garth's presence, and her guard visibly rose again, wiping the emotion from her face. Garth did not care, though, in his excitement, as he turned around the paper for a better view of what it held. There was no doubt in his mind what the picture was.

His wide smile appeared to surprise the woman. "You're one of us," Garth stated warmly.

She blinked several times as Garth rose once more, her sketch held almost reverently in his wide hands. He motioned to the bowl of soup. "Do eat something, Rider. You – we have a long journey ahead of us."

Still smiling, Garth turned and walked briskly away. When he reached the tent flap, a small, meek voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Garth." The R seemed to roll, sounding more like a D. Gasping softly, Garth turned. The woman swallowed, a look of intense concentration on her face. "Garth," she repeated, this time with no roll.

Her green eyes opened and met his. Garth could not speak as she gave a slight smile and placed a hand over her heart. "Mae." (pronounced like May)

Garth's smile widened further and the woman blushed slightly, turning her eyes away once more as she reached for the bowl beside her.

--

Garth burst into the hologram field, a smile bright on his face. The two Riders and Merdigen jumped, startled by his sudden entrance. He strode purposefully across and slapped a paper down on the table.

"She's one of us. I'm even surer of it now than I was before. Look at this!"

Alton glanced down at the paper. "What of it?" he asked dryly.

"Mae – the woman – drew it. It's how she sees the brooch. Only a Rider can see it for what it really is. That proves it! She's a Rider."

Dale chewed on her lower lip. "I don't know, Garth. You sure about it?"

"Positive." He looked at Alton as if daring him to object. "I'm taking her back to Sacor City with me."

"What about the fact that she doesn't speak the common tongue?" Merdigen inquired. "Wouldn't that be a problem?"

Garth spoke confidently. "I'll teach her along the way, and when we get there, I'm sure there's _someone_ who can translate for her – help speed things along."

"Do what you want," Alton said grumpily. "She's your responsibility. It's your head."


	3. Travelling Companions

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Green Rider books or anything contained within them. The song in itallics near the end is called _Tempus Vernum_ by Enya. I don't own it either. In this case, I only own the OC.

**Author's Note:** Well, here's another chapter. I can see that I'm getting several hits for this story, so to those of you reading, please review! I don't like to beg, but I'd like to know if this story is liked or what. I personally am having a bit of fun writing this and look forward to getting deeper into the story (I know the major points, it's just getting to them that takes time.), however, if noone is reading and liking it, then I don't want to waste time writing this when I could be spending more time on my other fics. I don't know if you like it unless you tell me, so please review!! Thanks, and I hope you enjoy the new chapter. Sorry that it's not as long as the other two. They'll get longer, I think, when Mae actually starts talking . . .

* * *

**Travelling Companions**

Garth watched Mae with a grin on his face as she gently stroked the neck of her horse. A couple of days before the young woman's arrival, several horses had mysteriously appeared near the wall. Finding nothing wrong with the beasts, the soldiers had begun using them. This one would carry Mae to Sacor City.

Mae did not seem to notice Garth's scrutiny, her eyes distant and thoughtful. After sleep and several healthy bowls of soup, the woman already looked much livelier than she had when she first emerged from Blackveil. Her hair was brushed and tied up in a bun, though she still wore the same faded clothes. Garth decided that he would find her something more suitable on the road – a Green Rider uniform from one of the outposts.

Mae looked up and Garth quickly averted his eyes, not wanting to be caught staring. Her attention, though, was on a figure approaching through the morning light. She watched Alton D'yer warily as he strode forward, his expression hard.

Garth stepped up to meet his fellow Rider. "I was wondering if you were going to come and see us off." He clapped Alton on the shoulder. "It's been good seeing you again, Alton."

The man grunted in return, his gaze shifting to peer at Mae. Though she was not exactly cowering, the woman had drawn closer to her mount, Rowan, her cheek resting against his neck as she stared back at the young lord. Her stance and expression reminded Garth somehow of a beaten dog fearing that its master might strike again. His heart twisted painfully. What had happened to this girl to make her act in such a way?

Alton reached into is cloak and stepped toward Mae. She stiffened, eyes widening slightly in obvious fear. The Rider paused for a split second, puzzled by her response, before pulling out the two objects they had previously taken from her. He stopped a few paces away from Mae, holding out the knife and – thing – to her.

Much to their surprise, when Mae saw what he held, she took a half-step back. Alton's eyebrows furrowed. He moved closer to her. "These are yours. I'm returning them." She did not move, merely staring at him. "I'm sorry we took them," Alton continued, sounding rather uncomfortable, "but we wanted to see if we could learn more about you."

Still, Mae made no move to reclaim the items. Rather puzzled, Garth stepped forward so that he was standing beside the woman. She glanced at him, but made no objection to his proximity. Gently, Garth placed one hand on her back and took her possessions from Alton, holding them right in front of her.

"Go on. Take them," he said softly. "They're yours."

Mae looked up at him with an almost pleading expression, but pleading what, he did not know. Her green eyes studied him for a moment before turning back to the objects in his hand. She took a deep breath before reaching out shakily and retrieving them. Garth smiled and patted her back.

After a moment of simply staring at what she held, Mae quickly slid the knife into her boot and dropped the other object into her pocket. She seemed eager to want to get them out of her sight. Alton frowned as he turned his attention to Garth.

"Be careful," he advised heavily. With one final, disdainful glance at Mae, Rider D'yer turned and strode back toward camp.

Garth watched the man leave, taking a deep breath before throwing a smile in Mae's direction. "Well, Mae, let's hit the road." After making sure the young woman was seated steadily in her saddle, he mounted Chickadee and turned her to face the road.

Mae mimicked Garth's actions, though it was quite obvious that this was probably her first time riding a horse. She handled Rowan well, however, which brought some warmth into Garth's heart. She got along well with horses; that was a good sign. It was much better than that mender-called-Rider, Ben, who was absolutely terrified of the great beasts.

They rode in silence for several minutes, their path lit by the first rays of sunlight. Garth glanced over at Mae to find her staring curiously at the scenery around them. The sun filtered through the leaf-less trees in broken streams, giving an almost enchanted life to the seemingly-dead woodland. There was a distant, almost content, smile on the woman's face as she admired the sight.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Garth asked with a grin.

From that point on, Garth kept up a nearly endless stream of words. He actually surprised himself with how much he was able to say without repeating himself. Briefly during his extensive monologue, he wondered if he was boring or annoying Mae, but when he glanced over her, she seemed to be paying sharp attention to his every word.

During their day's journey, Garth made a point to stop and speak to anyone they met on the road, giving Mae the chance to listen to actual discussion instead of a one-way speech. He was not entirely sure how much this helped her in learning the common language of Sacoridia, but Mae slowly began to show signs of progression. Her actions might have only been acts of mimicry, but after a few meetings with travelers on the main road, she began politely greeting people alongside Garth.

Eventually, of course, Garth had to explain the difference between morning, afternoon, and evening, but Mae proved to be an eager – and fast – learner. Still, Garth was not sure how much of what she heard she actually understood.

As night began to fall, so, too, snow began to flurry down from the darkened sky. It swirled around the pair, making the path before them a bit harder to see. Garth slowed Chickadee, reaching out and taking Rowan's rein from Mae's hands. "I'll lead you," he called above the rising wind, "so we won't get separated."

Mae seemed to understand him, releasing her hold on the leather strap. She gripped her saddle horn with one hand and held her cloak closed with the other, ducking her head so that the snow would not blow in her face. Garth gritted his teeth against the biting cold, pushing Chickadee onward.

"Come on, girl," he urged his steed. "The outpost's not far now."

The sound of bells and angelic singing floated on the harsh wind, and for a moment, Garth thought he imagined it. Then, light flashed in the corner of his eyes, off to the left of the road. Curious, Garth peered through the thickening snow; it was nearing blizzard strength now.

The light emanated from several floating orbs. No. They were not floating; there were figures carrying them. Garth gasped a lungful of icy air. Eletians. But, how could this be? He frowned to himself, though he had to admit that he was somewhat excited about catching a glimpse of them himself. This usually only happened to Karigan.

The question was, though: What were they doing this far into Sacoridia? He knew a group of Eletians had come to visit the king not too long ago, but they had returned to their own people. Why were they back so soon? Where were they going?

Though the Eletian party moved no closer to the pair, their song became somehow more defined despite the howling wind. Nonetheless, Garth could not understand their chanted words.

_Ergo, terra, stella_

_Hiems et aestas_

_Ergo, autumnus et_

_Tempus vernum_

_Ergo, radius solis et umbra_

_Ignis, aqua, caelum, luna_

_Terra, stella, hiems et aestas_

_Autunmus et tempus vernum_

_Tempus vernum . . ._

The voices faded with the light, leaving Garth to ponder the meaning of their appearance – wondering what their song meant. Blinking off snow that caught in his eyelashes, he realized that he had drawn Chickadee to a halt. Tapping his heels against her flanks, he spurred her on down the road. He barely heard the word that Mae spoke to the wind.

"Latin."

Garth glanced over at her curiously, slightly startled. She was staring at where the Eletians had vanished. "What was that?"

Mae looked troubled and confused as she met his gaze. Closing her eyes she shook her head. She glanced back to the left. "Who?" she asked, nodding in that direction.

"Eletians," Garth replied.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "E-le-tians?" she pronounced carefully. This did not seem to clear up any of Mae's confusion. She frowned, ducking her head again and retreating into her own thoughts.

Garth returned his attention to the path ahead of them, eyes searching for the hidden path to the outpost. The snowstorm did not worry him overly much. Chickadee – being one of the special, intelligent Rider horses – would know the way.

He added this incident, though, to the growing list of things he wanted to ask Mae about once she became fluent in the common tongue.


	4. Snowbound

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Green Rider books or anything contained within them. In this case, I only own the OC.

**Author's Note:** Sorry it's taken so long to write this chapter. I've had a paper to work on in my English class. Ick. It's also pretty hard to come up with a substantial amount of action/plot, when one of the two main characters being used can't/doesn't speak very much -- if at all. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**To FondyCheesehead:** Thanks for the tip. I honestly didn't realize that you could turn anonymous reviews on/off. I've fixed it now. Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying this and want me to keep it going. I'm sorry I haven't posted before now . . . hopefully when they get Mae talking, the words will come out a bit faster . . .

**To Study in Silence: **Thank you for correcting me. I couldn't remember/find the name of Garth's horse. Now I know, and it has been changed. Thanks again!

* * *

**Snowbound**

_Snow was still falling heavily when I woke up this morning. Visibility is zero, so we'll be staying a little while longer until this blizzard lets up. Hopefully, we won't be snowed in here. Mae is still sleeping. I can't help but wonder if I would have made it to Sacor City before this snowstorm if I hadn't waited at the wall for her to recover enough to travel. If I had left her, though, there's no telling what Alton would have done with her. He doesn't trust her, after all, like I do. I can't explain this trust. Is it part of my ability? That might explain it, but I don't think it quite fits. The fire's getting low. I think it's time to brave the snow for more wood._

Garth glanced up from the journal entry he had written earlier that day. Normally, his entries were not so long, but being trapped in this small hut by the weather left him with little else to do. Most of the day had been focused, of course, on Mae's lessons with the common tongue, but there was only so much Garth could do without knowing her own language. He had no idea if what he was teaching her – how he was teaching her – was actually right. Was she really learning or just getting confused?

The Rider turned his eyes to the subject of his thoughts. Mae sat in front of the fire, knees drawn to her chest. The light of the flames shone in her eyes – glazed over in deep thought. What was she thinking about? Garth felt a moment of frustration. Had she been able to speak the common tongue, he would have asked her, but she had no way of answering him.

Garth returned his attention to the logbook on the small wooden desk in front of him. He took a quill in hand and picked up where he left off.

_It's later now, past supper. I spent a good portion of the day devoted to teaching Mae the common tongue. I think she's doing pretty well, but she doesn't talk much, so I don't really know how much she's learned. Right now, we've exhausted that exercise. Mae is sitting in front of the fire, staring at it as if it holds some dark secret. I finally got her to change into a Rider uniform, and I must say. It suits her; it makes her eyes all the more _green_. They seem to be almost the same color as the fabric. I've never seen anyone with such an eye color before. It's startling at first, but I've gotten used to it now. She doesn't seem to like it, though, I've noticed. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she seemed unable to meet her own gaze, reluctant even. The one time she looked at her eyes, she shuddered and turned away._

Garth sat back, remembering the event. It had been greatly confusing – disturbing even – to see the look of fear and horror cross over her face momentarily before she withdrew into whatever corner of her mind she went to think. When he had asked her what was wrong, she had only mumbled something in her own tongue and shaken her head. Their day had tumbled downhill from there, ultimately resulting in her present position in front of the fire.

He glanced back up at Mae, but she was no longer seated before the crackling flames. Instead, she stood behind him, looking curiously over his shoulder. Garth jerked in surprise. He had not heard her move.

Mae gave him an apologetic smile before pointing at the journal in his hands. "What that?"

"What _is_ that?" Garth corrected her. Mae shrugged and nodded, making Garth chuckle. "It's called a journal," he said, moving on to explain what that meant.

Mae pulled over another chair from the corner and curled up on it, feet tucked beneath her. She listened intently to his every word, head cocked slightly to one side. Garth read her a few entries from the log book, some more interesting than others. There were even a few sketches drawn here and there, and he showed these to her as well.

"It's just a place to write down what we think and see," he explained to her, "so others can know what we've been through."

Mae stared at the book in his hands for a moment before smiling at him. Garth sighed. "You probably don't have a clue what I'm saying. I doubt I'm a very good teacher. I don't really know where to start. I just keep talking and talking, hoping you catch on eventually. I doubt that's how it works, but then again, maybe it will." He gives her a wry smile. "You're probably really confused, aren't you?"

The expression on Mae's face altered slightly, becoming warmer. She reached out and touched his hand. "Thank you," the young woman stated carefully, "Garth."

Garth's grin widened, and he nodded to her. "You're welcome."

Mae's eyes turned back to the fire. She motioned to the hearth. "Wood."

The Rider followed her gaze to the empty basket next to the hearth. "Ah, yes. We're out." He hefted himself out of the chair, placing the journal on the table. "Stay here. I'll get some more and check on the horses while I'm at it."

Mae watched him as he grabbed his heavy winter coat and trooped out into the snow. When he opened the door, the wind nearly tore it out of his hands, sending chunks of white flurrying into the room behind him. Garth tugged the door closed, making sure it was secure, before wading through the knee-deep snow toward the small stable.

The wind howled around Garth, throwing snow into his face and attempting to guide him astray. With all the white around him, it would be easy to wander off in the wrong direction and get lost. Garth's path, however, remained true, and the stable soon appeared before him, a dark shape within the sea of swirling white.

Rowan and Chickadee watched him from their stalls as he stumbled in and forced the door closed behind him, cutting the howl down to a low moan. "Hey there, you two," he mumbled, teeth chattering. "How're you faring out here?"

Chickadee whickered softly in greeting. Garth dutifully checked to make sure the two horses were warm enough beneath their thick blankets. He filled their food and water troughs, though ice was beginning to form in the later. The Rider patted Chickadee's neck with a sigh.

"The storm should blow itself out soon. At least, I hope it does. What I wouldn't give to have Teagan's weather sense right now." Garth ran his gloved hand down the neck of his horse. "While I'm at it, I'd better wish that you could talk. You'd probably have a lot to tell me, wouldn't you girl?" He chuckled. "You'd probably be able to help me teach Mae, too."

He sighed again. "So what do you think of her, hey, Chickadee? She seems like a pretty good girl to me. I think she'll make a fine Rider."

Chickadee gave a soft whinny, tossing her head. In the next stall, Rowan seemed to perk up a little. Garth chuckled. "Yeah, I like her too."

With a sigh, he stretched. "Well, I'd better get back there with some firewood before Mae thinks I got lost or something. Like that could ever happen, right Chickadee?" Garth patted her neck again. "I'll see you in the morning, girl. You get some rest. As soon as this blows over, we need to get back on the road."

After gathering up a large armful of firewood, Garth plunged back into the snowstorm. It took him several minutes to struggle through the blistering wind, and relief spread through him when he caught sight of the small house. The Rider entered the hut with a sigh, shouldering the door closed behind him and stamping the clumps of snow off his feet.

Garth's heart nearly stopped when his eyes fell upon an empty chair; Mae was not where he had left her. He quickly looked around the small living space, feeling no small amount of relief when he spotted her shape curled up on one of the cots in the corner. She was bundled in so tight a ball beneath the blankets that he could hardly make her out at all in the dim light.

"You scared me," he stated. "For a minute there, I thought you had wandered out into that storm."

Mae made no response. Garth stood still, listening. He smiled when he caught the sound of her slow, steady breathing. She was sleeping.

As quietly as he could, Garth crossed over to the hearth and deposited his bundle of firewood, feeding a couple logs into the low flames. He rubbed his hands together in front of the fire. "This winter's going to be a bad one," he mumbled to himself.

Garth stretched his muscles as he stood, sore from the biting outside air. He stepped back over to the desk and sank into the chair he had occupied before. He might as well finish up his entry before going to bed himself. There were still a couple of things he wanted to say. Flexing his fingers, Garth picked up the quill and reopened the journal.

His hand stopped as he turned the last page. Tight, unfamiliar script covered half of the paper facing his most recent entry. The writing was almost elegant in a way, though totally new and unknown to Garth. He ran a finger lightly down the page, glancing up and over at Mae's sleeping form.

She had written this; there was no doubt. So, that meant she understood the purpose of a journal. His teaching was working. Garth's momentary ecstasy brought on by his realized success faltered and died as he glanced back down at the page. But what did all of it mean? He could not read it any more that Mae could read his writing.

Garth bit his lower lip, a spark of hope returning. If he could show this to translators in Sacor City, and they recognized it, then understanding Mae would become so much easier. Still, should he take the journal with them when they left? They were supposed to stay in the way stations at all times. Garth touched the page again. He could copy it, but surely some of its meaning would be lost between the original and the copy. There was no way even he could make a perfect replica.

His eyebrows furrowed. He would have to tear out the page and take it with him, but if Mae saw, would she be offended? Garth looked back at her. He needed to do whatever it took to help her understand – to help her learn and belong.

Garth dipped the quill into the ink and continued his prior entry.

_You won't be able to see it, but after I explained to her what a journal is, she wrote something down here. I'm going to have to tear it out and take it with us so it can be studied by translators back in Sacor City. Surely it will help them pinpoint what language Mae speaks. If they can do that, then teaching her and understanding her will become so much easier. The only thing is, I don't know if Mae would like it if I tore out her page. I don't know if she would understand what I'm trying to do for her. I'll have to do it when she's not looking, right before we actually leave. I'll tell her later when she can speak the common tongue. Hopefully, she'll understand then and won't be upset with me. I'm sure she will, though. She's a sweet girl._


	5. Curiosity

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Green Rider books or anything contained within them. In this case, I only own the OC.

**Author's Note: **Sorry it's been so long since the last chapter. This one was harder yet easier to write in a way, once I sat down to actually write it. There are more people in it, and thus more dialogue to help the story flow, but Mae's reactions require a bit more detail, I suppose, when there are more people around to witness teh reaction -- if that makes any sense at all. Thanks to those of you who are reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I couldn't quite figure out what to title it, so the title here is a bit loose in its application to the events . . . if I come up with something more appropriate, I'll change it, but for now it is what it is. Enjoy!

* * *

**Curiosity**

Karigan G'ladheon trudged through knee-deep snow, feeling stabs of pain through her muscles with each step. _Damn Drent, _she mentally growled. _He works me as hard as ever – no harder – even when it's this cold. _She knew that becoming a Swordsmaster initiate was going to be difficult, but this was ridiculous! Karigan sighed. All she wanted now was a warm bath and a nice long nap.

As she approached the castle, Karigan caught sight of one of the stable hands leading a pair of horses to the barn. Karigan's heart lifted when she recognized one of the beasts – Chickadee. She smiled and doubled her pace, though painfully. Garth was back from the wall!

"Garth!" she called when she spotted him near the castle entrance.

The mountainous Rider turned and smiled widely at Karigan, greeting her with a warm embrace. He then stepped back and gave a flamboyant bow. "Good Afternoon, Sir Karigan. To what do I owe this great honor?"

Karigan flushed. "Stop that, Garth. I'm still just Karigan."

Movement behind Garth caught Karigan's attention, distracting her from her embarrassment. She blinked in surprise. She had not noticed the woman standing with him. It surprised Karigan even more when she realized that the stranger was clad in a Rider uniform – all except the winged horse brooch.

"Who's this?" Karigan asked. The woman blinked shyly at her with green eyes that seemed to match that of her uniform to the shade.

Garth chuckled. "This is Mae. Mae." The woman looked at him and Garth motioned to Karigan, pronouncing her name slowly and carefully. "Ka-ri-gan."

Karigan smirked. "What? No official title?" she asked jokingly.

Garth shook his head seriously. "I don't want to confuse her."

"Confuse her?"

"She doesn't speak the common tongue," Garth explained. "I'll tell you more later. I don't want to have to tell the story too many times." He glanced down at Mae when she edged closer to him, watching passing soldiers warily. "I'm sure the king and Captain Mapstone wouldn't mind you sitting in on the debrief," Garth added. "In fact, they'll probably want you to."

Now Karigan was confused. "Why do you say that?"

Garth glanced around before leaning close to her. "You are our expert on Blackveil, after all."

Karigan stiffened. Blackveil? She glanced at Mae, who was fiddling with a button to her fur-lined winter coat. What did this girl have to do with Blackveil? "I'll go clean up," she said quickly. "Don't start without me."

"We won't," Garth assured her. "I'm going to wait until after the public hearings are through, anyway. Wait! Karigan!" He called out to her as she started to move away, pulling Alton's letter from his breast pocket. "This is for you. It's from Alton."

Karigan took the letter, looking rather bewildered, nodded to him, and rushed off. Garth sighed and glanced down at Mae. The younger woman was staring off into space, her breath coming in short gasps. Garth placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a warm smile when she met his gaze.

"You don't need to be scared. I'm here." Her eyes held his for a long moment. "I won't let anyone hurt you," he assured her.

Mae reached up and touched his hand, a small smile lifting up the edges her lips. She blinked and shivered slightly. Garth guided her inside, where they would be slightly warmer. People bustled about, forcing Mae to huddle close to Garth. He gently squeezed her shoulder and she glanced up at him. After taking a deep breath, Mae took a step away from Garth, taking a shot at standing on her own among the multitude of strangers.

As Garth smiled at the bold and determined expression on his ward's face, another familiar voice called out his name. He turned to see Yates weaving his way through the various servants and citizens. The men clasped hands when Yates reached him.

"Good to see you back safe and sound," Yates said with a smile. "How were Alton and Dale?"

"Doing absolutely fine," Garth replied. "Dale looks a lot better than she did when she left here. That's for sure. Alton's regained a bit of spark, too."

Yates chuckled. "That's good to hear."

"Ah," Garth remembered, "let me introduce you to –" He turned to motion to Mae, but the woman was no longer standing beside him. Garth's heart skipped a beat. "Mae? Uh oh. This isn't good."

"What?" Yates inquired. "What is it?"

Garth began scanning the faces of those around them. "Mae's disappeared."

"Who? That woman standing next to you a minute ago?"

"Yeah."

Yates thought for a minute, glancing around. "I think she walked off toward the audience chamber." He nodded toward the mass of citizens lined up to be heard by the king. "Are you supposed to be escorting her or something? I didn't know Captain Mapstone gave you a new Rider to mentor. She's a cute one. Hey! Where're you going?"

Garth started moving toward the audience chamber. "To find her, of course."

He weaved his way through the crowd, receiving annoyed and angry murmurs from the citizens. None of them did more than murmur, though, due to his massive and rather intimidating size. Garth smirked to himself momentarily as he searched the crowd for Mae. It was times like these when he was grateful for his size. Usually, it seemed rather cumbersome, but now it aided in his search for the missing woman.

Garth spotted her near the front, her back up against one of the side walls and her eyes focused on the dais. Giving a small sigh of relief, the Rider squirmed into the audience chamber and moved as quickly as he could toward her while making as little noise as possible. There was a man speaking to the king at the moment – a farmer by the looks of him – and Garth did not want to interrupt. He passed a Weapon on his way, nearly invisible in the shadows, but neither man acknowledged the other's presence.

"Mae," Garth hissed softly when he reached her, gently taking her arm. "Don't wander off like that. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

Mae glanced at him momentarily before returning her gaze to the king. The expression on her face was odd – wary and skeptical – as if she was not sure what to make of the man. Her green eyes then moved on to graze each of the other faces, from Lady Estora seated beside the king to each of the stoic Weapons stationed around the dias, finally falling and locking on Captain Mapstone.

Garth could probably guess what was holding Mae's attention – the winged horse brooch. During their journey he had caught her staring at his no few times. It seemed to entrance her, making Garth believe all the more that she was a Rider.

He tugged on her arm. "Come on. You'll meet them later."

For a moment, Mae stood her ground. Captain Mapstone cast a curious glance in the pair's direction. Garth groaned inwardly at the look that Lauren gave him. She would definitely be giving him trouble for this. When he urged Mae back again, she relented, seemingly perfectly happy with leaving the audience chamber behind. Garth scowled. What was all that about.

"Oh, you found her!" Yates said happily when they emerged from the crowd at the door. The Rider had not moved from his place the entire time.

Garth's scowl deepened. "No thanks to you."

"Hey, that's not fair. I told you where she went."

"But you didn't help me look for her."

Yates shrugged and smiled at Mae. "Hello there, lovely lady. What might your name be?"

Mae, of course, did nothing more than look at the man addressing her. Garth smirked and answered for him. "This is Mae. Mae, meet Yates."

The Rider in question snatched up Mae's hand, lifting it up to kiss her knuckles. "It's a pleasure to make you acquaintance, Mae."

Before Yates' lips could touch her skin, however, Mae snatched her hand back, cradling it against her chest. Yates stared at her, startled, and Garth chuckled, placing a hand on Mae's shoulder. "It's alright," he assured her. "It's a way of saying hello."

Mae glanced from Garth to Yates with a dubious expression. The later smiled and held out his hand to her, though not forcing her to accept his greeting. Garth nodded to Mae, and she cautiously accepted the hand. Instead of allowing Yates to kiss it, she wrapped her fingers around his, twisted her wrist, and shook their hands up and down a couple of times. Smiling softly, she released her grip and clasped her hands behind her back.

Yates glanced from her to his hand. Garth gave a small laugh. "That must be how they greet each other where she comes from," he stated.

"You mean she's not from around here?"

Garth shook his head. "I get the feeling that she's a long way from home. I also think she's a bit overwhelmed by everything that's been going on around her lately. I'm a bit surprised she actually greeted you with more than just a smile – pleased, but surprised. She looked absolutely terrified of everyone earlier."

"She probably just needs time to adjust." Yates gave Mae an encouraging smile. "Well, welcome to Sacor City, Mae. I'm sure we'll meet each other again." He winked and strode away, leaving Mae to cock her head up at Garth.

Garth smiled. "Don't worry, Mae. He's harmless."


	6. Nervous Introductions

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Green Rider books or anything contained within them. In this case, I only own the OC.

**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry it's taken so long to get this up. Thanks you all for being so patient. This one is definitely taking me longer to write than my others. This is probably because the plot I have in my head is really complicated and constantly shifting and changing. Ugh. I wish the plot bunny for this one would make up its mind. grrr. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Hopefully I'll be able to write the next one faster. (crosses fingers) Enjoy!

* * *

**Nervous Introductions**

Mae did not wander off alone any more after that, though she did take a keen interest in the tapestries lining the main hall. Garth did not hesitate to explain them to her, using them to give her a nutshell history of Sacoridia. As he neared the point in the tale when Arcosian forces, lead by Mornhavon the Black, invaded, Garth watched Mae's expressions very carefully. Though he had no doubts that she was a Rider – and thus his ally – he knew that King Zachary would probably doubt whether or not she could be trusted due her emergence from Blackveil. She could be an agent of Mornhavon after all.

However, when Garth mentioned Arcosia and the leader's full name – Alessandros del Mornhavon – she did not bat an eye out of place. This pleased Garth; after all, if she was a servant of Mornhavon, would she not react in some way to his name? Garth's conviction only strengthened at this thought. She was a Rider – an ally and servant of the king – and definitely not an enemy of Sacoridia. Alton's suspicions were misplaced and unwarranted.

As Garth drew the tale toward present events, someone cleared their voice behind him. Garth turned to find Captain Mapstone cocking an annoyed eyebrow at him. He smiled sheepishly, bowing. "Captain Mapstone."

At the tone of Garth's voice, Mae turned away from the tapestry to peer curiously at the formidable woman staring down her mountainous companion. Mae's eyes widened slightly and she shifted her stance so that Garth stood between her and the captain.

Laren Mapstone crossed her arms over her chest. "Care to explain that little stunt, Rider Bowan?"

"Stunt?" Garth sputtered. "I'm sorry, Captain. I didn't mean to interrupt, but I had to – well, you see, Mae wandered off, and I didn't want her to get lost or into trouble or something like that."

The captain's eyebrows furrowed. "Mae?"

The woman in question peeked around Garth, looking very much like a mouse checking to see if the cat was still waiting outside of its hole. Smiling in spite of Laren's inevitable tongue-lashing for his actions in the audience chamber, Garth stepped aside so that Mae was in full view of the captain.

"This is Mae," he explained, "our newest Rider-to-be."

Laren's eyebrows shot up. "Rider-to-be?"

"It's part of my report," Garth replied simply. "And if I may say so, Captain, I think it might be wise to have Karigan join us for my debriefing. She might be able to lend some of her – expertise to some matters."

Captain Mapstone glanced between the pair. Mae edged closer to Garth beneath the woman's scrutiny. He chuckled and patted her back. "Mae, this is Captain Mapstone," he stated carefully, hoping that the addition of the woman's rank would not confuse his ward too much.

Mae smiled cautiously at Laren, her eyes never leaving the winged horse brooch on the captain's chest. It did not surprise Garth in the least that this was the only action she performed, nor that her gaze was drawn to the brooch. There was no doubt that the captain was intimidating, and his own mark of service had not ceased to entrance Mae. He gave her another comforting pat.

Laren sighed. "Well, let's go, then. We shouldn't keep King Zachary waiting." She turned and motioned for them to follow. "We can find someone to take Mae down to the Rider barracks on the way."

"With all due respect, Captain," Garth objected carefully, "I think Mae should be allowed to attend the brief as well. She deserves a chance to – er – speak for herself." How much actual _speaking_ the young woman would do, he did not know. Still, he believed she ought to be present should anything be decided concerning her fate in Sacoridia.

Laren gave him a curious glance, but did not dispute his request. "Very well, as long as she doesn't cause any more unnecessary interruptions."

"She won't," Garth assured her. _Though the information I have about her probably will._

Nodding, her worries sedated for the time being, Laren turned and lead the pair deeper into the castle. After returning his old office to its original purpose – the Queen's solarium – the king had transferred his possessions to a different – if smaller – room just outside his personal living suite. This was not, however, where the Rider Captain lead them.

"Since you are surely weary from your journey and have not eaten yet, the King has chosen to speak with you over dinner," Laren explained as she brought them to a small dining room in the king's personal wing of the castle. She glanced at Mae. "You to be sure to be on your best behavior."

Garth looked at her uncertainly. "Wouldn't it be better for us to freshen up beforehand?"

As if to answer his question, servants appeared seemingly out of nowhere and ushered Garth and Mae into a side chamber. At first, Mae balked at these strangers attempting to whisk her of to some unknown location, but after some encouragement from Garth – and an odd look from the Captain – she followed along obediently. The pair was each provided with a basin and essential tools to wash and take care of any necessities.

To this, Mae mumbled something in her own tongue that sounded like it was probably a 'thank you.' Though slightly puzzled by the odd words, the servants seemed to understand her intentions and gave her warm smiles. She did not seem to notice this, though, for her attention was focused intently on the task at hand as if attempting to shut out the rest of the world in hopes of feeling a bit more at ease with her new surroundings.

As thoroughly freshened as they could be, Garth and Mae were led into the king's small dining hall. Garth smiled when he saw that Karigan had already arrived. The silence of the room was slightly awkward, and Garth could easily guess the reason.

The seasoned Riders all knew that Karigan's love for the king went beyond the mere duty of one of his servants. They were, however, keeping their mouths shut concerning the matter due to Karigan's own silence. If she wished to believe that her love was a secret and have it stay as such, then they would gladly comply. After all, the ability to keep a secret ran deep in the Rider lines.

King Zachary smiled openly as they walked in. "Ah, Rider Bowan, welcome back," he greeted Garth.

"It's good to be back, sir," Garth replied, bowing. Beside him, Mae nervously glanced from Garth to the king and back before dipping into a stiff bow of her own.

Zachary carefully eyed Mae, curiosity plain on his face as he asked, "Who's your friend?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir. This is Mae." Garth touched the young woman's shoulder and motioned to the king. "Mae, this is King Zachary." He pronounced the name slowly and carefully, hoping she would understand.

Mae met his eyes briefly before looking back at the king. She blinked at him a couple of times before giving another half bow that moved only her head and shoulders. When she straightened her back, her eyes remained low. The king studied her for a long moment, his face placid. There had been something strange in her gaze when she looked at him – as if she understood fully that he was the one in charge and was assessing him – judging his strength. However, her current pose suggested total submission and possibly even fear – an emotion that contradicted the strength he had seen flicker through her eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mae," Zachary said kindly, motioning to the empty chairs around the table. "Please have a seat. I'm sure the two of you are weary from your journey."

Garth guided his charge to sit between himself and Karigan. He was unsure if this position was wise, due to the information he would eventually have to reveal concerning Mae. Karigan's encounters with anything to do with Blackveil were never pleasant, and she would no doubt react extremely to the knowledge that Mae had emerged from the dark forest. Still, Garth had taken note that Mae looked rather nervous and ready to bolt from the room of strangers. It would be harder for her to do so if she was stuck between two people.

Servants appeared from the sides bearing plates of steaming food. Light conversation filled the room as the group ate, remaining on topics in which Garth could easily avoid getting Mae involved. Karigan already knew that the woman could not speak the common tongue, but Garth decided it would be best to reveal that fact only after they were prepared to discuss the results of his journey to the Wall. After all, the explanation as to why she could not speak their language was an intricate part of his report.

Finally, once the meal was through and those present for the debrief were armed with a warm glass of ale, Zachary's expression became serious as he turned his attention fully to Garth. "So, Rider Bowan, what have you to report?"

Garth swirled the last contents of his glass before tossing it back and sighing. Carefully placing the glass on the table before him, he stated, "Things are quiet for the most part. The other Guardians have returned to their respective towers, but they have promised to be available to us should we ever need them. With their help, Alton was able to stabilize the wall. It shouldn't fall apart anymore. The next step now is to rebuild the breach."

Zachary nodded. "The book is being translated as we speak. Hopefully we will soon have the ability to repair it." He thought for a moment. "You said 'for the most part.' What did you mean by that?"

The Rider licked his lips, well aware that all attention was on him – except for Mae, who was staring intently at the table in front of her as if it held some secret to life. "We were attacked by groundmites shortly before I left," he answered.

Laren drew a sharp breath. "Was anyone lost?"

Garth shook his head. "No ma'am. Well, actually, _we_ weren't the ones attacked. They were going after Mae."

The king's eyes shifted immediately to the woman in question. "Why?"

The girl did not look up, and Garth braced himself for the worst as he replied, "I don't know exactly why, sir, but she was trying to cross the wall at the time." Karigan stiffened, but Garth continued before she could say anything. "She came out of Blackveil."


End file.
